DoWNLoAD - WeMerge Magazine
DoWNLoAD - WeMerge Magazine
DoWNLoAD - WeMerge Magazine
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<strong>WeMerge</strong><br />
Show Review<br />
Written and Photographed<br />
By Elon Meles – elon@<strong>WeMerge</strong>.com<br />
The South Florida Local<br />
Soundcheck Showcase returned<br />
to the Culture Room in Ft.<br />
Lauderdale on Dec. 11 with a<br />
talent-laden showcase and roofrattling<br />
concert of drastic rock<br />
proportions. Originally to be<br />
sponsored<br />
by the now<br />
extinct<br />
93 Rock,<br />
a sudden<br />
format<br />
change<br />
forced<br />
them<br />
to back<br />
out<br />
before<br />
the day<br />
of the<br />
show.<br />
But with<br />
the proceeds<br />
benefitting The<br />
University of Miami – Nova<br />
Southeastern University<br />
Center for Autism and Related<br />
Disabilities, the stellar bands<br />
soldiered through and put on a<br />
tremendous show for the rockstarved<br />
fans in attendance. The<br />
roster contained a heavy dose of<br />
mid-90’s inspired alternative rock<br />
from seven of South Florida’s best<br />
hard rock stars in the making.<br />
Kicking off the evening’s<br />
festivities were two wellrespected<br />
local cover bands,<br />
David<br />
Hamilton of<br />
Marvlec.com<br />
Coral Springs based School of<br />
Rock (schoolofrock.com) and Fort<br />
Lauderdale’s own Kamantra,<br />
who recently changed their name<br />
to R’lyeh (facebook.com/ryleh).<br />
They jammed solid sets of classic<br />
rock with a metal twist, mixing in<br />
some harder stuff throughout.<br />
The first group of original<br />
rockers was Coral Springs’<br />
Marvlec (marvlec.com), a fresh<br />
young trio of rockers with an old<br />
soul and brotherly feel. The lead<br />
singer, Dave Hamilton kept the<br />
crowd rapt in his smooth lyrics,<br />
while Scott Dotson and Ben<br />
May jammed on their guitars<br />
while wearing their skivvies, like<br />
Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers.<br />
They earned a new fan in this<br />
guy for one, and the thunderous<br />
applause let me know I wasn’t<br />
alone. These guys are just getting<br />
started. Look out.<br />
Next up was First October<br />
(firstoctober.com), a selfdescribed<br />
power-pop punk band<br />
led by the bodacious Tammy<br />
B. on lead vocals, with Tom<br />
Braga, Greg Smolla and Joey<br />
O. rounding out the talented<br />
quartet. Tammy dazzled the<br />
crowd with her sensual stage<br />
presence, while the rest of crew<br />
blasted out a sound somewhere<br />
in the ballpark of No Doubt on<br />
Red Bull and vodka. While Tammy<br />
delighted the eyes, the music<br />
backing her was a sensory success<br />
to say the very least. More big<br />
things are on the horizon for First<br />
October, and all the bands that<br />
participated in The South Florida<br />
Local Soundcheck Showcase. t<br />
38<br />
Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support<br />
<strong>WeMerge</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> - www.<strong>WeMerge</strong>.com
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